Page 84 of Silent Heart

The skin around Grandpa’s neck was growing red. But frankly, I didn’t see the problem with the neighbor’s request. It was my animal, and my grandfather was being a grump.

And…I didn’t want to see the family. The barbeque was sprung on me at church. Grandma looked so damn exhausted when Aunt Beatrice said she was coming over with some of the others. While I certainly didn’t want to disappoint my grandma, I also didn’t feel like ruining my weekend with an influx of the relatives. They weren’t supposed to be around, so it wasn’t like they would miss me if I wasn’t.

If they’d wanted to hang out, they could have messaged—any of them—the last eight weeks. Why should I be tied here to their plans?

“Actually,” Victoria added, “we were hoping you could bring a mare too, and give us ladies some riding lessons. It won’t make us skilled horsewomen, but I’m looking to score major brownie points with the family.”

“It’s okay if you want to go, Harley,” Grandma offered.

The objection was on the tip of my grandpa’s tongue, but the neighbor spoke up quickly.

“And we’ll pay. Handsomely.” Luka jerked his eyebrows up and down. “I’m talking insane. Especially—” he drawled like some Southern debutant “—since we’re interrupting a barbeque.”

“Oh, you don’t have to pay,” I rushed to add. “I’m happy to share.”

“No, no, we want to hire you, Harley. Riding lessons this afternoon and use of the horses,” Victoria insisted, looking at my speechless grandparents. “Sorry to disrupt family barbeque.”

She didn’t sound very sorry.

I had to turn to the side to hide my smile.

“Two grand, and I won’t take your refusal.” Luka clapped his hands together.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Grandpa boomed.

My jaw nearly hit the floor. “That’s too much—”

But Victoria cut off my protest. “The top riding instructors make mid-six figures a year, that comes out to sixty thousand a month, which comes out to an average of two grand a day.”

“I’m not a top riding instructor,” I protested.

My grandpa snorted, but grandma smacked him with her handbag.

“But you are important to us,” Luka said, and I heard something else, loud and clear, under his words.

My gaze narrowed, but that only made him smile more.

The Honda Civic rolled into the drive, and Drake, Dallas, and Duke jumped out of the vehicle. They scurried over, sensing the juicy situation unfolding in the front drive.

“Let’s go get the horses.” I tugged Victoria’s hand and exited the too-loud interactions. Luka seemed quite comfortable in the face of my obnoxious male cousins. I didn’t know him well,but I would guess he had no problems handling himself in a confrontation.

The soft scent of hay and animals wrapped around me as we pushed into the barn. I grabbed pieces of tack, handing them to Victoria.

“You’re not offended that we’re paying?” she questioned gently.

I snorted. “That kind of money will make life much easier. I can’t afford to be offended.”

“Cami said your family drives you nuts. Every time you talk about them, you get flustered.” Victoria ran her fingertips over the stall rails. “I can see why.”

“That’s a very bold statement,” I countered. They were my family after all. I should be bothered by her criticism. But as three more crappy vehicles pulled up outside, and the cackle of voices grew louder, I couldn’t help but begrudgingly admit they were right.

“Actually, we wanted to meet Cami’s roommate before she goes through with this idea to switch dorms on us.” Victoria turned to face me. “Imagine our surprise when the little minx told us who you were.”

“She saidLucasknew I was on campus.” I crossed my arms.

“He did, but he also had no idea you two were such good friends. We’re very protective of our Cami Joe. We wanted her to commute, but she dug her heels in and insisted it was safer to live on campus than drive every day.”

It was time to address the elephant in the room. “And this has nothing to do with what happened over the summer? With Kole?”

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